CKCA Regional Event – Quebec May 13-15, 2024 – A great success!

Final Program

We welcomed 120 attendees to our Eastern Regional Event held in Orford, QC, May 13-15, 2024. You must have attended the conference to receive the attendee list. Please contact sandra@ckca.ca for a copy of the list.

Based on the feedback, this event was rated “Excellent” to “Very Good” by those attending. Some comments included:

“A total eye opener by attending this conference. I was educated on how large this industry actually is, the growing pains other companies have gone through, ie triumphs and failures, company cultures (staff). Issues the industry is facing which I was unaware of. This conference made me want learn more and perhaps be more involved/educated on and within the industry and within my own company, ie what changes can be made within and externally to assist with growth as now I know how large the network really is. To know that we have an industry which can network within and externally to help each other on all platforms of issues/growth/ideas etc. was fantastic!“

This event was a great success thanks to the plant tour hosts: Tafisa, Fabridor, Cabico and Granit Design. They graciously allowed us to tour as a big group and they were well organized and welcoming. Here’s a video of the tour at Fabridor. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHVIVXDZcYU

We are also very grateful to our sponsors who provided tremendous support – we can’t deliver these valuable events without their support!

   

 

 

 

CKCA Webinar – Artificial Intelligence – Leveraging potential in the kitchen cabinet shop – Postponed, Date TBA

January 31, 2024 at 1pm (ET) on Zoom – We have postponed this event and will announce the new date shortly. Please feel free to still register for this event. We will notify you of the date.

Free Webinar – Register Here» 

Presenter: Nikki Van Boeyen, General Manager, Gipman Kitchens & Cabinetry

AI is changing the way we do business at a very fast rate. Nikki Van Boeyen presented on this topic at the National Forum in 2023 and we’ve invited her back for an update on what’s going on and a chance to show those who were unable to attend the forum. We will take a deeper dive into how kitchen cabinet manufacturers and suppliers can use these tools in their shop. The presentation includes live, hands on demonstration to give you an immersive experience. But most importantly, it will show you how easy it is to use, the potential and the value that this tool can bring to your business.

Eurocucina (April 14-20, 2024) – SOLD OUT

Where trends begin!

Hosted by our sponsor:

Join CKCA, Blum for another exclusive opportunity to attend Eurocucina, the largest international kitchen furniture exhibition event in the world.  Altogether, the exhibition covers a net display area of over 230,000 square meters at the Milan Fairgrounds in Rho. Spouses/companions are welcome to attend (please indicate single or double occupancy).

We take care of you!  CKCA in partnership with Blum has organized accommodations, organized plant tours, site seeing, hosted lunches and dinners, and accommodations (in Austria and Milan).  The draft itinerary below indicates which costs are included and which are your responsibility.  Final details will be relayed to all confirmed registrants..

IMPORTANT: Registration – Is now sold out. If you want to register please contact sandra@ckca.ca to see if there’s any possibility of cancellation or if we can get any additional rooms.  

You will need to register for the Eurocucina show directly by clicking on this link. Fees to attend the show are not included in the CKCA/Blum program price.

HOTEL – Blum has booked your hotel in Austria and CKCA has booked your hotel in Milan:

  • Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Milan, Via Stamira d’Ancona 27, Milan 20217, Italy. Our colleagues from AFDICQ in Quebec are also staying at this hotel. Details for your stay in Austria will be provided later.

PROGRAM – Click here for details.

TRANSPORTATION – Please ensure you arrive in Zurich, Switzerland by 10 am on Sunday, April 14. Blum has arranged ground transportation for your trip to Austria and to take you on to Milan mid-week. You are responsible for booking your flights. We recommend you acquire both travel and health insurance.

Please provide CKCA with your travel itinerary for Zurich arrival (to confirm shuttle for BLUM).PAYMENT – *CDN taxes are not applied as event is out of country.

CKCA Webinar: Succession Planning – A view of success from the other side (July 19)

REGISTER NOW!

We know a large percentage of our industry is comprised of family run business. But succession isn’t just about family run business, it’s about any business that is looking to pass on the reigns. That journey is exciting and it can be very difficult. Matters of governance, finances and relationships come into play. This presentation will take a view of “succession” from the other side and takes a look at top practices for effective transitions in Familybusiness in a changing landscape.

Presenter: Lynne Fisher, National Team Leader, SMART Services, MNP

Lynne Fisher is the National Team Leader of MNP’s ExitSMART service which offers end-to-end succession planning for privately held companies. She has worked with clients in a variety of industries and brings expertise from having been a business owner, commercial banker, consultant and educator. She has worked extensively in helping companies make the transition of the founder(s) of a company to the next generation of leaders.

Thanks to our sponsor:

CKCA Webinar: How to lead your organization through a challenging macro economic environment 

REGISTER NOW!

The economy seems to be predictably unpredictable these days making it challenging to plan ahead. The kitchen cabinet industry is slowing for some and not for others. Rates are not increasing, then rates get increased. The list goes on. This session will discuss how you can manage through tough economic times and what opportunities exist to mitigate the present economic challenges and grow your enterprise value?

Presenter: Yohaan Thommy, Partner Performance Improvement & Value Creation, MNP

Yohaan spoke at the CKCA Western Regional event in BC in February and captivated the audience. CKCA received amazing feedback and we knew we wanted to bring Yohaan back for another great session. Yohaan is a Partner with MNP and leads the firm’s performance improvement practice nationally. His focus is to help his clients make their organizations more valuable while bringing greater financial predictability.

Thanks to our webinar sponsor:

Kitchen and Bath Expo (Oct 25-27, 2023)

We put the “C” in this expo!

CKCA is participating in a new show organized by the ExpoHut.

The national, and international kitchen and bath industry will gather under one roof providing traders and buyers the ideal platform to learn, network, and share market insights.

Use the CKCA2023 code to register for free!

For more information and to register – Click here»

Come meet us at Booth #409!

Meet with some of the CKCA Board of Directors and be sure to attend our education session presented by Trevor Chaulk of Chaulk Woodworking on October 25, 2023 at 3:00 pm!

Navigating the Cabinet Industry – Are you buying a product or a service?

This session will help you gain a better understanding of how to navigate the cabinet industry to build trusted relationships and a more concise direction with both suppliers and consumers. Get answers to pressing questions that include:  Do you shop around and wonder why you may have received quotes with such pricing variations from one company to another for the same space or drawings? How do you manage experiences versus expectations and what’s the difference between cabinets and cabinetry? We know that customers buy products and clients buy a service, so how can you provide the best product/service to reduce the stress of shopping around? What design/materials really are the best for the consumer? In this session you will learn how to minimize the time involved during the initial stages of design and ordering and how to ask the right questions to suppliers/consumers to facilitate a smoother process.

Trevor Chaulk, Chaulk Woodworking has operated his business in the Haliburton Highlands, Ontario since 2009. He has consistently grown his business for the past 14 years with a focus on quality, service and pricing. He is an active member and now a Board Member of the Canadian Kitchen Cabinet Association and travels across Canada visiting and meeting with other kitchen cabinet manufacturers. In 2022 he was a speaker during a tour CKCA conducted at Conestoga College. Trevor’s extensive working knowledge of the industry makes him a valuable contributor and leader in the industry.

Location: Toronto Congress Centre, Ontario

 

CKCA National Discussion-Future of Kitchen Cabinet Industry-Recording now available!

 We’re pleased to share a recording of this very popular webinar.

CKCA creates and records many valuable webinars that members can view by logging in

Presenters:

Jason Varelli, Biesse

Luke Elias, Muskoka Cabco

Peter Mate, Planit Canada

Tommy Gagnon, AutomaTech Robotik

Moderator: Stephan Kleiser, Woodworking Canada

If you want to know if you’re making the right decisions for the future of your business, then watch this session and share with staff including operation managers or anyone else who you think  could benefit from this presentation.

Thanks to our Sponsor:

Session Description: The future is now! Meta-Verse, MES, Analytics, Data Visualizing and Manufacturing Field Devices – these are terms we are all getting to know. But what do they mean to our industry? How is automation and robotics addressing current and future challenges including supply chain, demographic shifts, global competitivess and labour shortage. A window into what is to come – this is a session you don’t want to miss!

Western Regional Event 2023 – Feb 6-8 – Recap

We’re pleased to announce the CKCA Western Regional Event was a great success.

More than 140 attendees over 2.5 days of tours, presentations and lots of networking.

Held at the Sheraton Vancouver Airport in Richmond, BC attendees were transported to various manufacturing shops in Richmond, Surrey, Port Coquitlam, North Vancouver and Squamish.

Registration was SOLD OUT. A CKCA first thanks to the overwhelming response we had.

We’ll be sharing key highlights and photos in the upcoming CKCA newsletter.

With such a popular response to our presenters, we hope to offer a repeat on an upcoming webinar. Watch for more details coming soon.

Final Program CKCA_Vancouver_Program 2023

Enjoy the photos below from the event!

CAWP (at UBC)

Fraser Wood Timber

Lauten Woodworking

Leon Lebeniste

Nickels Cabinets

Sofo Kitchens 

Sunrise Kitchens

Various event images

Thank you to our event sponsors who support the kitchen cabinet industry by supporting the CKCA!

We encourage industry to put your purchasing dollars to work – work with these companies!

 

                             

 

 

National Forum 2023 NB (it’s a wrap!)

A successful National Forum just wrapped up!

We’ll be posting more details to summarize everything from this successful event in Moncton, NB.

Thanks to everyone who attended. Please complete the evaluation form so we can learn and improve (it was emailed to attendees on Saturday, Oct 1, 2023).

Want the attendee list? You must have been an attendee to receive this list. Please contact sandra@ckca.ca

Program: Click here to view final program. Packed full of value to help you in your business!

Sponsorship: Our sincere thanks goes to our sponsors who help make this event possible!

       

                                   

     

         

   

 

 

 

 

 

WMS Show 2023 (Nov 2-4, 2023)

WMS – Wood Machinery & Supply Conference and Expo

November 2-4, 2023

The International Centre, Mississauga, ON (Halls 1&2)

Visit the CKCA Booth #1324. We look forward to seeing you there!

To register for free using code CKCA23. Click here for details»

Be sure to attend our education session (details below):

Recruit – Retain: Accessing the Right Tools

November 3rd at 2:00 PM – WMS Live Stage

We all know you cannot wait for the employees to come to you; you have to go out and get them. Learn what the Wood Manufacturing Council is doing to attract and train next generation workers to the wood industry. But that’s not all. Once you have those new workers in place, it is essential that you have the right employee contracts in place that will protect you as the employer and ensure that the employee/employer relationship is clearly articulated. Gaining new employees takes time and effort. This session will offer insights that can position your company for success.

Speakers:

  • Sandra Wood (Moderator)Canadian Kitchen Cabinet Association, Executive Director
  • Richard Lipman (Speaker)Wood Manufacturing Council
  • Vera Palmeri (Speaker)HR Covered Inc., Senior Account Executive
  • P. Chacko John, Mobel Cabinetry

For more than four decades, Woodworking Machinery & Supply Conference and Expo (WMS) has connected Canada’s professional woodworking buyers with the world’s most prominent machinery manufacturers and suppliers.  WMS has attracted attendees from 9 Canadian provinces and 2 territories.